Grow Lemongrass In Pots, It Will Repel Mosquitoes, Keep You Relaxed And Ease Your Headaches

Lemongrass is a perennial bushy herb that tastes and smells like lemon. The stem of this plant can be up to one and a half feet high, and the plant looks like a cane. The smooth leaves of the lemongrass are bluish-green color. The flowers of the lemongrass gather in spiky inflorescence, however, this plant rarely blooms.

Pharmaceutical and cosmetic industries use lemongrass, especially its juice. Moreover, people use it for tea and as an ingredient in many culinary dishes.

There are two basic types of lemongrass, and the main difference between the two species is that C. citratus contains the active compound myrcene.

How To Grow Lemongrass

Lemongrass adapts well to all soil types. You can plant it in places where is warmer and lighter, but not where there is too much direct sunlight. Sow the lemongrass seeds in the soil for germination from January to early March. The optimum germination temperature is 20 to 25 ° C, and in these conditions, the plant will sprout in 20 to 40 days. You should keep the soil moist but not too wet. When the seedlings are large enough, you should transplant them into cups and later into pots of appropriate size.

Lemongrass does not tolerate ice and low temperatures. So the plant should be kept in a cool, but not too cold place during the winter. Watering should also be reduced during this period.

There is not much use for young plants, but plants that are several years old and have thick shoots can be used for drying. In order to restore vegetation, you need to trim the low-growing stems in the fall.

Lemongrass Uses

Lemongrass is a good source of folic acid, magnesium, copper, zinc, potassium, phosphorus, iron and calcium, and vitamins A and C. Essential oils of this plant contain citronella, while terpinolene, limonene, and caryophyllenes are present in smaller quantities.

Its leaves and stems are used in alternative medicine for a wide variety of diseases because this plant has anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, antiseptic, antifungal and diuretic properties.

You can make tea out of this plant. The tea is prepared by adding one tablespoon of fresh or dried lemongrass leaves in a cup filled with hot water. Leave it for 10 minutes. Then, strain the liquid and drink it as a hot or cold beverage. The tea has a calming effect, relieves muscle pain, headache cold symptoms, and improves digestion.

You can use the herb’s essential oil to relieve headaches, joint and muscle pain resulting from a cold or flu. However, always dilute the essential oil because it’s quite strong.

You can use lemongrass as an insect repellent. Actually, citronella is a natural ingredient that is FDA approved. And lemongrass is abundant in this ingredient. You can find many mosquito repellent products that contain citronella such as sprays, candles, and creams. That’s why keep your lemongrass pots near the areas you spend most of the time in the summer. The smell of it will keep the mosquitoes away.

Additionally, you can use the plant for your dishes. Lemongrass is extremely popular in Thai and Vietnamese cuisine, but it is also increasingly used in Western cuisine since it can improve the taste of various dishes. Sprinkle it on fish and seafood meals, but use it in your chicken dishes as well.

Hi Debbie, thank you for your question. You can find lemongrass seeds on amazon or local stores that are specialized for gardening supplies. You can also buy fresh lemongrass stalks (without roots and leaves) and keep them in a glass of water. The stalks will start rooting after two weeks. After that transfer them into appropriate containers!:)

I would love to get to get do you sell it I need to get this soon as I can the best place to get it where I’m in West Virginia thank you much I appreciate you my phone number i 304-972-2999 thank you 🙏

Thank you so much for your kind words, Nancy. Yes, Florida is a suitable area to grow lemongrass. This plant loves the sun and it thrives in warm and humid conditions. Just water it regularly and it will be fine. 🙂

Hi, Kimberly thanks for your question.
According to Can Dogs Eat website, lemongrass is considered safe for dogs. Dogs eat grass for a reason, usually when they have digestive problems so it helps them cleanse the digestive system from anything that is causing a problem. However, lemongrass shouldn’t be part of the dog’s regular diet. Moreover, don’t give your dog lemongrass essential oil because it’s more concentrated, or consult a vet before giving your dog this type of essential oil.

dang this sounds like a miracle drug .. have heard of lemon grass but certainly had no idea it was good for all these uses .. but one thing I don’t understand is that if it has citronella in it how in the world can it have a lemon taste / flavor …

All plants have healing powers as long as you use them properly. However, no plant is a miracle drug. They are beneficial, yes to some point. Lemongrass doesn’t taste purely like lemons. It has a specific taste kind like a minty lemon with a hint of ginger. However, its taste is not very strong, so if you use it for cooking the flavor will not dominate. For some people, it tastes like soap so you need to try a pinch of it before you put it in your meal. We hope this answers your question! Thank you for your support❤

Yes, there are two types of lemongrass: Cymbopogon citratus and Cymbopogon flexuosus. The main difference between these two is their chemical compound. C.ciratus contains more myrcene and less citral, while C.flexuosus contains more citral and less myrcene. However, both varieties provide antimicrobial, calmative, antiseptic, and insecticidal properties. We hope this answers your question. 🙂